Herman Nootix in Nepal

Juli 4, 2016

Herman: Let’s adjust Kathmandu’s altitude by ambling about!

About 90% of Nepal’s people are of the Hindu faith, and the other 10% are Buddhists. But those numbers don’t tell the whole story. Because Buddhism mixes with Hinduism in many ways here. The more closer you study it, the more interesting it becomes.

Nepal is quite an amazing nation. It’s the birthplace of Gautama Buddha, the man whose teachings inspired Buddhism. It has Everest, the world’s highest mountain, and the entire country is nestled in the Himalayas. Why right now, we’re in one of the country’s lowest spots, but we’re still 5,000 feet above sea level! Let’s walk slowly so I don’t get dizzy.

Here’s the House of the Living Goddess, a little girl known as Kumari Ghar. How did she get to be a goddess? She was chosen for the honor by Buddhist priests. For her whole childhood, she’ll live in this lovely home, and be honored with festivals and ceremonies. Not a bad way to spend your childhood, hm?

The locals call this part of Kathmandu Durbar Square. Lined with temples and pagodas, Durbar Square is the heart of Nepalese religion, and since it’s where the king of Nepal is crowned, it’s pretty important to the government too. If you’re looking for the center of the action, this is it!

Here’s Mashudeva, a temple to the Hindu god, Shiva. Don’t you just love the roofs? Some religions believe in just one God, but not Hinduism. Thousands of different gods appear in Hindu legends, and Shiva is one of the most important.